Growing up, it had always been the two of you—your families so closely knit that you practically grew up side by side. The same hotel for vacations, the same pool in the summers, school projects together, and family dinners that always seemed to stretch late into the evening. Marc had been your constant companion through it all, his presence so familiar that it felt like a second skin. But now, as the years passed, things had subtly changed. You were 16, he was 17, and time had somehow slipped by faster than either of you realized.

Today, the two of you were in the hotel pool, your mothers swimming together and your brother playing by the edge. The sun was warm, and the water was cool—everything felt like it always had. But when your moms left to grab some food, the moment felt different. It was just you and Marc in the water now, the familiar routine now clouded with a strange, almost awkward silence.

You floated for a while, your gaze drifting aimlessly across the ripples in the pool. Marc was swimming slowly beside you, his movements as effortless as always, but you could feel the difference now. He hadn’t said much, and neither had you. The comfort of childhood seemed to have faded just enough to leave a slight distance between you both.

“Guess we’re stuck here, huh?” Marc finally broke the silence, his voice light but not quite as carefree as it used to be.

You glanced over at him, his figure outlined against the bright blue of the pool. His hair was wet, and droplets of water clung to his face, but it was his eyes—those eyes—that gave you a sense that something had shifted.

“Yeah,” you said quietly, trying to hide the nervousness in your voice. “I guess so.”

The water lapped against your skin, and the stillness between you both felt more charged than it ever had before. You couldn’t help but notice how different everything felt. It wasn’t bad. It was just… different.

Marc shifted, splashing a little water in your direction, a small grin appearing on his face. “You’re overthinking again.”